Folding shelving

ABSTRACT

Folded shelving having three shelves and four side panels hingedly secured together in such manner as to be collapsed with shelves and panels in flat side by side position or to be erected with horizontal vertically spaced shelving interconnected by vertical side panels. Manually operable locking means can be disposed on lids of a selected shelf to lock the structure in erect position.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,845,727

Chase l Nov. 5, 1974 l FOLDING SHELVING 538,145 4/1895 Allen 211/149 x 841,484 1 1907 Campbell... l08/1l1 [75] lnvemor- Herbert Chase Woodmen 855,113 5/1907 Mantell 108/113 [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization, a I;

. l SOI'l gg jf York a part 2,177,153 10/1939 Ross 211 178 R Filedi Mali 1973 Primary ExaminerFranCiS K. Zugel [2l] App]. No.: 343,514

[57] ABSTRACT 52] us. c1. 108/111, 108/115 Folded Shelving having three Shelves and four Side. 51 1111. C1 A47b 43/00 Panels hingedly Secured together in Such manner as to [58] Field of Search 108/111, 115, 99, 116, be Collapsed with Shelves and Panels in flat Side y 103/149, 130, 1 13; 248/439; 312/258, 1402; side position or to be erected with horizontal vertically 21 1/149, 178 spaced shelving interconnected by vertical side panels. Manually operable locking means can be disposed on 5 References Cited lids of a selected shelf to lock the structure in erect UNITED STATES PATENTS Pomon- 2 1739 10 1333 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Tull 108/113 FOLDING SHELVING SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directed toward a structure which in collapsed position is folded flat to occupy a very small space for efficient shipping, transportation and storage. Alternatively, the structure can be readily erected to define book shelves or the like.

To this end shelving and side panels are hingedly secured together in such manner as to be collapsed with shelves and panels in flat side by side position or to be erected with horizontal vertically spaced shelving interconnected by vertical side panels. Manually operable locking means can be disposed on ends of a selected shelf to lock the structure in erect position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows my invention in folded position without the locking bars;

FIG. 2 shows my invention in erect perspective view with the locking bars and FIG. 3 is a detail side view of the structure of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, shelves 10, 12 and 14 are hingedly secured at 16 to side panels 18, 20, 22 and 24 in such a manner that one end of each of panels 18 and 20 is hinged to a corresponding one of ends of shelf while the opposite end of each of panels 18 and is hinged to a corresponding one of ends of shelf 12. Further one end of each of panels 22 and 24 is hinged to a corresponding one of ends of shelf 12 while the opposite of panels 18 and 20 is hinged to a corresponding one of ends of shelf 14.

The structure can be collapsed or erected as shown.

A bar 26 is pivotally secured at its mid point to the mid point of one end of shelf 12 and a second such bar is pivotally secured at its mid point to the mid point of the other end of shelf 12. These bars extend at right angles to the longitudinal direction of shelf 12. Each bar has a slot 28 at each end adapted to detachably engage a corresponding pin 30 in each of the panels whereby the bars can be disposed to lock structure detachably in vertical erect position as shown. Loops 32 secured to the rear of shelf 10 enable the structure to be hung from a wall or the like, the loops being screwed or otherwise secured to the wall. I

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that any number of shelves can be used merely by extending the system of hinges and locking bars.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described the invention, what is asserted and claimed as new is:

1. Folded shelving comprising:

first, second and third shelves of like length and width;

first, second, third and fourth like panels with pins thereon, also of said width;

means hingedly securing each end of each first and second panel to a corresponding end of a corresponding one of the first and second shelves and hingedly securing each end of each third and fourth panels to a corresponding end of a corresponding one of the second and third shelves; and

manually operable locking means secured at each 2. Shelving of claim 1 further including means se cured to the first shelf to detachably hang the shelving and panels from a wall. 

1. Folded shelving comprising: FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD SHELVES OF LIKE LENGTH AND WIDTH; FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH LIKE PANELS WITH PINS THEREON, ALSO OF SAID WIDTH; MEANS HINGEDLY SECURING EACH END OF EACH FIRST AND SECOND PANEL TO A CORRESPONDING END OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF THE FIRST AND SECOND SHELVES AND HINGEDLY SECURING EACH END OF EACH THIRD AND FOURTH PANELS TO A CORRESPONDING END OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF THE SECOND AND THIRD SHELVES; AND MANUALLY OPERABLE LOCKING MEANS SECURED AT EACH END OF THE SECOND SHELF TO ENGAGE SAID PINS ON SAID PANELS TO LOCK THE STRUCTURE IN UPRIGHT POSITION, EACH LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED BAR SECURED PIVOTALLY AT ITS MIDPOINT TO A MIDPOINT OF AN END OF THE SECOND SHELF, EACH BAR ALWAYS EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF EXTENSION OF THE SHELF.
 2. Shelving of claim 1 further including means secured to the first shelf to detachably hang the shelving and panels from a wall. 